Abstract: Household, agricultural, forestry, and/or commercial refuse containing a mix of organic substances which respectively decompose rapidly, less rapidly and slowly, is converted into a fibrous material by subjecting the refuse to aerobic decomposition which is interrupted after only the rapidly decomposable organic substances are decomposed, whereby a fibrous material is obtained which is thereupon dried and sterilized. A hardenable binder material may be admixed with the resultant dried fibrous material and the mixture may be shaped to desired configuration and the binder material hardened under simultaneous application of pressure to make a shaped body.

Abstract: In a process for the production of fiber substances from waste which contains aerobically unstable components, the waste is subjected to aerobic decomposition at a temperature of at least 50.degree.C in the presence of oxygen to form a fibrous mass and then the mass is treated with solvents which dissolve these components. This eliminates the odor characteristic of fiber substances produced from waste. An arrangement for carrying out the process is also disclosed.